Clay Pot Chicken

 I purchased a clay pot years ago and I love it.  Only problem I forget I have it for months and months. 

 Everything just tastes better cooked in the clay pot.  The flavors just mingle better or something scientific like that:)   The Clay Pot like the Cast Iron Skillet brings out the bestest flavors and gets better over time. There is nothing like a well seasoned cast iron skillet or  a well conditioned clay pot to enhance the cooking quality of your dishes.

  My clay pot is unglazed and over time has acquired a color change which indicates the character of the pot.  I can't go wrong by baking a chicken in the clay pot and this recipe is guaranteed to satisfy.

Clay Pot Baked Chicken

1  5lb whole chicken

1 large cup of baby carrots

2 stalks of celery cut into 5 or 6 inch sticks

1 large red onion cut into quarters

6 or 7 whole baby portabella mushrooms

1 lemon, halved

4 tbsp butter, room temperature

springs of fresh thyme

springs of fresh parsley

springs of fresh rosemary

(I usually just eyeball the amount of herbs
 depending what is available in my little herb garden)

2 cloves garlic, minced

 1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

Soak Clay Pot for at least 20 minutes, I usually soak it longer about 1 hour.   Using a fork mix the butter with  one minced garlic clove and 1 tablespoon of each of the herbs that you choose to use. ( I used all three) to make a herb butter.   Wash chicken and dry thoroughly.

 Gently ease up the breast skin of the chicken and spread the herb butter between the skin and the meat of the breast being careful not to pierce the skin. I also gently lifted the skin of the drumsticks and spread butter under them also.






Place 1 half of the lemon inside the chicken and any herbs that you choose. Rub the chicken with salt and pepper.




 Place carrots, onion, mushrooms and celery in the bottom of the clay pot. Add wine and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper and the other minced garlic clove. Squeeze the juice of the other half of lemon over veggies.

 

 Place chicken on top of the veggies, moving some of the veggies to the sides to make room for the chicken.  Cover with lid.

 Place in cold oven and set the oven temperature to 400 degrees.   Bake for 2 hours covered until done.







 Remove the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes longer until chicken is golden brown.  

Remove chicken and serve with veggies on the side.  This chicken is so tender it can be cut with a fork.  I so wish we had scratch and smell on this pic because the smell and flavor are just out of this world:)

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